‘Wicked’ tickets on sale next week

SACRAMENTO — After breaking box office records and selling out in record time in 2012, “Wicked,” Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will return to Sacramento Community Center Theater this spring as part of the Broadway Sacramento series. Tickets for the return engagement go on sale Feb. 15.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (“Pippin,” “Godspell,” Academy Award-winner for “Pocahontas” and “The Prince of Egypt”) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), “Wicked,” the untold story of the witches of Oz, is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Mantello (“Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!,” “The Vagina Monologues”) and features musical staging by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento (“Aida,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “How To Succeed…”).

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, “Wicked,” winner of more than 50 major awards, including a Grammy and three Tony Awards, is the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One — born with emerald-green skin — is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. “Wicked” tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the “Wicked” Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

“We’re extremely happy to be able to bring ‘Wicked’ back to Sacramento,” said Richard Lewis, California Musical Theatre president and CEO. “It’s a superb quality production that absolutely delighted our patrons during the 2011-12 Broadway Sacramento season. We expect it to sell out again, so I would encourage people to get their tickets early!”

“Wicked” celebrated its 10th Anniversary on Oct. 30. There are currently nine productions of the musical worldwide: New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), an Australian/Asian tour (Manila), Latin America (Mexico City), a U.K./Ireland Tour (Dublin) and two concurrent North American national tours. Broadway’s No. 1 show for an unprecedented nine consecutive years, “Wicked” has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly.

Tickets for “Wicked” will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 15. From 7 to 10 a.m. tickets will only be available in person at the Wells Fargo Pavilion box office, 1419 H St., and Convention Center box office, 1301 L St., in Sacramento. Radio station MIX 96.1 will be at the Convention Center box office that morning giving away prizes, and the first 100 people in line at that box office will receive a special ‘”Wicked”‘ gift. Beginning at 10 a.m., tickets will also be available for purchase by phone at (916) 557-1999 or (916) 808-5181, and online at BroadwaySacramento.com. There is an eight-ticket limit per person. For groups of 15 or more call Group Sales at (916) 557-1198.

Performances of “Wicked” at the Community Center Theater are May 28 through June 15, Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are two Sunday evening performances, on June 1 & 8, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $34.50.